"But when they know all his noble conduct to me, they must and shall treat him with respect!" replied Lord Robert; and, drawing Philip's arm through his, he advanced towards the group of officers, who had withdrawn to a different part of the deck, and were discussing the matter among themselves. "Gentlemen," said he, "give me leave to present to you my friend, Mr. Harley; for whose former faults I own myself more than answerable. He is sensible that you all have had cause to be offended with him at different times; but he trusts that you will have reason in future to forget the rashness of the pressed man in the merits of the midshipman; to which rank our noble captain, in reward of his valour in the last engagement, has thought proper to promote him. I say nothing of his admirable conduct to myself; though, I trust, that, with all my faults, his having been the means of saving my life will be a recommendation to my brother officers; and I should hope that his lowly birth will not be remembered to his prejudice by officers of the British navy, whose boast it is that some of its proudest ornaments[7] have risen from before the mast." [Footnote 7: Sir Cloudesly Shovel, Admiral Hopson, Admiral Campbell, Sir Samuel Cornish, and many other gallant gentlemen, rose from the lowest ranks.] A murmur of applause followed this speech, which was seconded by Lieutenant Cary's presenting his hand to young Harley; and his example was followed by all the gentlemen present, who, with the frankness of British officers, offered him successively their congratulations on his promotion. "Spoken like yourselves, my gallant friends!" exclaimed Lord Robert, warmly shaking hands with his brother officers; "it shall never be said by our enemies, that valour and merit were slighted in the British navy, unless recommended by the adventitious advantages of rank or riches in their possessor." Lord Robert knew the way to the hearts of his brave friends. To their good feelings he did not appeal in vain; and Philip never again had reason to complain of the least slight or disregard from any officer on board the Diomede; and never till that hour had Lord Robert tasted how truly delightful is the possession of power, when the influence which more or less it holds in society is applied to a noble purpose; and Philip Harley, by his steady attention to his duty, and his officer-like and gallant conduct in his new rank, speedily erased from the minds of these gentlemen his former mutinous and violent behaviour, and obtained the highest praise from his just and discriminating commander. How proud was Philip--how happy Lord Robert, whenever Sir Henry Stanley expressed his approbation at this conduct! There never was a friendship more warm or sincere than that which now subsisted between the two former enemies, who used often to relate their mutual sufferings, as a warning of the folly of answering a provocation, or retaliating an injury.